As the race for the NBA championship kicks off on October 24th, teams have made league-breaking trades.
Arguably, the most impactful trade was between the Portland Trailblazers and Milwaukee Bucks. The Trail Blazers decided to send off superstar point guard Damian Lillard to the Bucks after he repeatedly pleaded to leave the team. Through this trade, the Bucks have created a superteam since they already have 2-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo who is one of the most dominant players the NBA has ever seen. The Bucks did have to give up stellar defenders in Jrue Holiday, signaling their transition into a more offense-reliant team. However, their new coach, Adrian Griffin, is a defensive-minded coach who may lead the Bucks to keep their defensive identity. Other significant trades were the Bradley Beal and the Chris Paul trades. Bradley Beal, originally a player for the Washington Wizards, got traded to the Phoenix Suns where he joined Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, making the Suns even more dangerous on offense as they now have superstars Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. However, since they are all players that play best with the ball in their hands, their chemistry on the court will be something to watch. The Wizards got Chris Paul in return for Bradley Beal and they quickly flipped Paul to the Warriors. Many Warriors fans have scrutinized this trade because of Chris Paul’s age and size and Jordan Poole’s potential. Chris Paul is nearing the end of his career at 38 years old and isn’t the point guard he once used to be. He has had playoff blunders throughout his career and the NBA fanbase has given him the nickname “CP0 rings” in reference to his lack of a championship. His lack of size also doesn’t help his case as the Warriors are desperately in need of a big player who can provide defense and length, but he is merely 6 feet tall. Also, Jordan Poole is a young explosive player with star-level potential, showing glimpses of it when he got the opportunity. Although he is largely inconsistent, his potential secured hope for the Warriors’ future, so trading him away left Warriors fans devastated.
The draft has shaken things up as well. The most notable player coming out of the draft was Victor Wembanyama. He was drafted as the first pick by the Spurs and for good reason. With his 7 ‘4 stature and mobility, he has unprecedented potential. He has the handle and shooting ability of a guard but the post presence of a center, making him the unicorn of the NBA. Scoot Henderson, who was drafted third, is also an exciting player. He is a point guard with freakish athleticism, drawing comparisons with point guards such as Russell Westbrook and Ja Morant. His mid-range shot and court vision are solid as well, making him a threat in pick-and-rolls.
Due to these trades and draft picks, the NBA has become unpredictable. With that being said, let’s look at some predictions for the upcoming season.
Championship Predictions: Milwaukee Bucks
Currently, the Boston Celtics have the best odds to win the championship at +460, but past playoff struggles make a championship run hard to believe. On the other hand, the Bucks seem to have taken a step in the right direction by trading away Jrue Holiday for Damian Lillard. Giannis has another superstar beside him to lighten the load and Damian Lillard finally has realistic championship odds, giving him the ultimate motivation to win a championship before his career ends. In the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets have +550 odds to win the championship, but the Milwaukee Bucks’ Lillard and Giannis duo seems overwhelming for Jokic and Murray to compete against.
FMVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo
As the star player on the Bucks, the predicted championship team, he has the highest chance to win the FMVP award. He won this award in 2021, and only 1 player in NBA history has ever won FMVP without winning the championship, so Giannis is heavily favored to win the award if the Bucks win the championship.
MVP: Nikola Jokic
For the MVP award, the leading candidate is Nikola Jokic with +450 odds. He is a 2-time MVP, which may reduce his chances to win the award, but he has been the best player in the NBA recently. He led his team to the 1 seed in the West and led them to a championship with his unbelievable passing, stellar shotmaking, and dominant mid-post presence in the 2022-2023 season. Giannis Antetokounmpo has the second-highest odds and makes a solid case for being runner-up. His team is likely to do well, which solidifies his case to be an MVP candidate and win runner-up.
ROTY: Victor Wembanyama
The Rookie of the Year award seems to have the most clear-cut choice. Victor Wembanyama, with -160 odds, is a freak-of-nature athlete who can shape up to be unguardable. He stands at 7 ‘4 and moves like a point guard, dribbling the ball up the court and taking shots on the perimeter that no other 7 ‘4 player would think of taking. The only way that he does not win the award is if he gets injured or the pressure put on him becomes overwhelming.
DPOY: Jaren Jackson
Jaren Jackson Jr. is leading all candidates to win the Defensive Player of the Year award with +550 odds. With his athleticism, wingspan, and height, he makes a solid case to win the award. He makes his presence known as a rim-protector and can guard perimeter players because of his speed. Giannis Antetokounmpo is also a front-runner for the award for his similar characteristics, but his potential to win other awards may reduce his chances of winning DPOY. Although he may perform better than Jaren Jackson Jr. on the defensive end, the importance placed on Giannis’s offensive prowess may cause people to overlook his defensive performance and vote for Jaren Jackson Jr. instead.
6MOY: Immanuel Quickly
Averaging nearly 15 points last season, Immanuel Quickley is tied with Malcolm Brogdon at +800 odds to win the award. However, Brogdon is part of a reconstructed Trail Blazers team, which many experts project to win 23-28 games in total. They are in the middle of a rebuild and focused on developing their players, which will harm Malcolm Brogdon’s chances to win 6MOY.
